BY AL BARBARINO

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York has signed a 25,000-square-foot lease at 80 Maiden Lane in the Financial District, where it will bring together three of its community service organizations, sources tell The Commercial Observer.

The organization, which runs various community outreach programs and has also been instrumental in helping those impacted and displaced by Hurricane Sandy, took the 13th floor and part of 14th floor in the building.

“We’re very excited about seeing all those services come together in the same location,” said Joseph Buttigieg, associate executive director at Catholic Charities.

The three divisions of the organization – one dedicated to teaching English as a second language (ESL), and the others serving immigration and refugee needs, respectively – will vacate the roughly 15,000-square-foot 12th floor at Catholic Charities’ 1011 First Avenueoffices.

The organization will retain the office space at 1011 First Avenue, though it hasn’t been determined what it will be used for.

The new space will be renovated to meet the needs of the three programs, in a location whose multiple subway lines offer more convenience to visitors coming from across the city who seek the organization’s services, Mr. Buttigieg said.

“We have a 150 people coming in for intake and ESL throughout the day and this building was welcoming of clients coming in and out all day,” he said.

To read the full story, click here

BY BILLY GRAY

The New York State Society of CPAs signed a full-floor 37,000-square-foot lease at 14 Wall Street and will leave its offices at 3 Park Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets.

The NYSSCPA joins a number of other firms who have left midtown for Lower Manhattan. CBRE‘s Brad Gerla represented the landlord, Alex Rovt, a Ukrainian fertilizing titan who bought 14 Wall Street last year for $303 million. Jones Lang Lasalle‘s Ellen Herman represented the tenant. Asking rents were in the $40 per square foot range.

Last July the healthcare provider Amerigroup moved its headquarters from 21 Penn Plaza and consolidated its offices across the city at 14 Wall Street with a lease for 165,000 square feet at the 37-story, 1-million-square-foot building.

Mr. Rovt bought the building from Capstone Equities and Carlyle Group, which had paid $325 million for it in 2007 before the market crash.

To read the full story, click here

BY KARSTEN STRAUSS

The United States Census Bureau is making a new home at 32 Old Slip in Lower Manhattan, signing a 40,000-square-foot lease.

The company will take over the building’s ninth floor and a small portion of the eighth floor, paying in the low $40s per square foot, according to a report yesterday by Crain's New York.

The building – owned by Beacon Capital – is a 36-story office tower comprised of over 1.1 million total square feet. It is located in a region left damaged by Tropical Storm Sandy.

The census bureau was represented by the General Services Administration (GSA) and CBRE executive vice president, Bruce Surry, represented Beacon Capital.

Neither Mr. Surry nor GSA regional administrator, Denise Pease, responded to calls for comment by press time.

To read the full story, click here